how Swan had rowed out to fish in the
spring, and a great storm came down on him from the east, and how
he was driven ashore at Fishless, and he and his men were there
lost. But the fishermen who were at Kalback thought they saw
Swan go into the fell at Kalbackshorn, and that he was greeted
well; but some spoke against that story, and said there was
nothing in it. But this all knew that he was never seen again
either alive or dead. So when Hallgerda heard that, she thought
she had a great loss in her mother's brother. Glum begged
Thorarin to change lands with him, but he said he would not;
"but," said he, "if I outlive you, I mean to have Varmalek to
myself." When Glum told this to Hallgerda, she said, "Thorarin
has indeed a right to expect this from us."

15. THIOSTOLF GOES TO GLUM'S HOUSE

Thiostolf had beaten one of Hauskuld's house-carles, so he drove
him away. He took his horse and weapons, and said to Hauskuld,
"Now, I will go away and never come back."

"All will be glad at that," says Hauskuld.

Thiostolf rode till he came to Varmalek, and there he got a
hearty welcome from Hallgerda, and not a bad one from Glum. He
told Hallgerda how her father had driven him away, and begged her
to give him her help and countenance. She answered him by
telling him she could say nothing about his staying there before
she had seen Glum about it.

"Does it go well between you?" he says.

"Yes," she says, "our love runs smooth enough."

After that she went to speak to Glum, and threw her arms round
his neck and said, "Wilt thou grant me a boon which I wish to ask
of thee?"

"Grant it I will," he says, "if it be right and seemly; but what
is it thou wishest to ask?"

"Well," she said, "Thiostolf has been driven away from the west,
and what I want thee to do is to let him stay here; but I will
not take it crossly if it is not to thy mind."

Glum said, "Now that thou behavest so well, I will grant thee thy
boon; but I tell thee, if he takes to any ill he shall be sent
off at once."

She goes then to Thiostolf and tells him, and he answered, "Now,
thou art still good, as I had hoped."

After that he was there, and kept himself down a little while,
but then it was the old story, he seemed to spoil all the good he
found; for he gave way to no one save to Hallgerda alone, but she
never took his side in his brawls with others. Thorarin, Glum's
brother, blamed him for letting him be there, and said ill luck